UPDATE: 2-alarm fire in White Center ruled arson
(Reader photo)
3:24 PM: Thanks to Aaron for the tip. The big fire callout is for a commercial property on the west side of downtown White Center, 17th/98th.
3:58 PM: Reader photo added atop the story. The fire has gone to 2 alarms.
(WCN photos from here down)
5:26 PM: Talked with firefighters at the scene. The building is 9811 17th SW, the old Atlas Electric building, just south of the dental building; records show it was sold earlier this year. Nobody in the building when the fire started; nobody injured. The cause remains under investigation. Firefighters expect to be on scene for a w more hours.
6:50 PM: More photos:
ADDED MONDAY: The King County Sheriff’s Office tells us this fire has been ruled arson. If you have any information, call the Arson Tip Line – 800-55-ARSON.
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October 6th, 2019 at 3:54 pm
What business? I can smell the smoke from Shorewood.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:05 pm
Atlas Building on 17th. Last heard the owner who was Arizona-based had plans to clean up after finally removing squatters. Curious if squatters moved back in? There had been far less activity in the alley after their last bust. Hope the adjacent properties are unharmed.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:16 pm
Looks like the boarded up building between the old dentist offices and the auto glass shop that they’ve been trying to keep trespassers out of. Lots of buildings very close together. A challenge to keep it from spreading.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:26 pm
Sorry it took us a while to get there, we were out of the area when this broke out. Following up at the scene now, adding more info and photos.
October 6th, 2019 at 6:20 pm
Just this past week took photos from the alley behind the Atlas building and saw that one of the window entrances had been broken into again. Talked to the owner of Gerber’s Auto just south and they have continued to have damage done on their property by those living(?) in that building. Hope the owner can get it cleaned up and use the property for a new business.
October 6th, 2019 at 7:52 pm
Kiro was reporting witness saw someone leaving building as flames broke out, but don’t see updates on that. Any word?
October 6th, 2019 at 9:34 pm
Have no idea who they were quoting. We talked to the ranking fire official at the scene and what he told us is above.
October 6th, 2019 at 9:11 pm
Harvey Rowe owned it previously. We helped him clean it up outside and painted the front. He sold it to some slum lords (in my personal opinion) and they let it degrade faster than it was before. They should be forced to plow it down and grade the site level. We need parking around here anyway. And to make amends for being such slummers, they should volunteer to paint all the White Center fire hydrants pink since October is Cancer Awareness Month.
Mark Ufkes
October 6th, 2019 at 9:30 pm
I noticed Mr. Rowe’s name in past records when I looked up ownership early – a reader of our West Seattle site had done a lot of research on his holdings. Anyway, it’s changed hands twice in the past year-plus, first to a WA LLC, then to an Arizona LLC who is current owner of record.